Face retainer for illuminated signs

ABSTRACT

A retainer device for translucent plastic panels or faces for illuminated signs whereby to secure the panels against displacement from the sign housings or frames by wind pressures thereon. The plastic panels, being flexible and subject to lateral expansion and contraction under varying temperature conditions, are customarily installed in their frames with liberal marginal tolerances thus, when flexed by wind pressures at relatively low temperatures, the face panels can escape their mountings resulting in damage thereto.

I United States Patent [1113,593,447

[72] Inventor Alvin Winegarteu [56] References Cited 1 A I N 3232 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS [21 pp o. Filed Sept. 22,1969 2,769,263 11/1956 Wamser40/132 R [45] Patented July 20, 1971 Primary Examiner--Harland S.Skogquist (73] Assignee 'lexlite Industries, Inc. Attorney-Cecil L. WoodDallas, Tex.

[S4] FACE RETAINER FOR ILLUMINATED SIGNS 4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 40/130 R 609i 13/00 Field 0! Search 40/125 K, 130 R, 130 A,130 B, 130 C, 132 R, 133 B, 136, 154

ABSTRACT: A retainer device for translucent plastic panels or faces forilluminated signs whereby to secure the panels against displacement fromthe sign housings or frames by wind pressures thereon. The plasticpanels, being flexible and subject to lateral expansion and contractionunder varying temperature conditions, are customarily installed in theirframes with liberal marginal tolerances thus, when flexed by windpressures at relatively low temperatures, the face panels can escapetheir mountings resulting in damage thereto.

FACE RETAINER FOR ILLUMINATED SIGNS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONmaterials which serve bothreconomic and aesthetic requirementsUSuchpractice is especially. applicableto signs which present opposingfacepanels and. are-generally mounted on .relatively high-standards, such asthose commonly used in connection with the retail outlets of-the oil andgas industry and by many commercial establishments in other fields.

The plastic facepanels have;an inherent flexibility which becomes moreacute :under relatively high temperatures, although some marginalexpansion also results, and decreases under cooling temperatures with;.acorresponding degree of contraction so that when the face. panels aresubjected to wind pressures of relatively-high velocity they are flexedinwardly causing them topull awayfrom. their mountings with the resultthattheface panels and the signfixtures are both damaged.

A .varietyof devices havebeen conceived and applied to preventthisso-called blowout ofthe face panels but few, if any, haveprovedto besatisfactory. It istherefore a prime object of the instant invention toprovide an economicaland effective means forretaining theface panelsintheir mountings .withoutdetractingfrom,the aesthetic. appearance orthe effectiveness of the sign-message.

SUMMARY This invention relates to illuminated signs havingtranslucent'face panels, and especially those formed of acrylic plasticmaterials.

A prime'object ofrtheinvention resides in theprovision of aretainingdevicefor the face panels-of illuminated signs which arecustomarily formed of translucent plastic materials whichpossesscertaineconomic advantages over glass panels due to the ease bywhich they can be produced with varying surface contours for aestheticappearance and because of their flexibility and resistance to breakageunder severe weather conditions, such as high winds, hail, and the like,but by reason of their flexibility such panels, under relatively highvelocity wind pressures, tend to pull out of their frames resulting indamage thereto.

A further object .of the invention is that of providing a retentiondevice which is simple and economical yet capable of securing the facepanels against displacement from their mountings while affording amplemeans for lateral expansion and corresponding contraction resulting fromvariations in temperatures.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects willbecome apparent .as the description proceeds when considered inconnection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a typical sign having a plastic facepanel and embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational edge view of the sign shown in FIG. I, thesupporting standard being fragmentarily shown in both views.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on line 3-3 of FIG. I,illustrating the channel-shaped frame members and showing the preferredform of the invention applied to the frame members and the panels.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through the upperportion of one face of the sign showing the invention embodied therein.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the channel-shapedframe member having an internal rib or flange formed on the outer walland a plastic strip attached to the lower marginal edge of the panel.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower lefthand corner ofa typical sign frame showing a modified retention device for the facepanels.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, on line 7-7 of FIG. 6,showing a detachable clip for retaining the face panels in their frames.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the panel partially inphantom outline, and showing the retaining clip applied to the lowerframe member, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration .of the retainer clip, or modifiedretention device embodying the invention.

The invention, in its preferred form, is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5,inclusive, wherein the face panels 10 are mounted in a frame comprisedof top, bottom and side members I] which are channelshaped in transversesection and formed with an intemalrib or flange I2 near the inner edge13 of the outer wall 14 ofeach memberll which may be formed of aluminumextrusions, or from other materials and by any desired means.

The mounting frames, while illustrated as rectangular in form, may beproduced in any desired peripheral outline as required for aestheticpurposes or in accordance with any desired distinctive display, and aresecured in one or both sides of a housing 15 supported by a standard 16,or other device, depending upon the use and location of the sign. Theface panels 10 are translucent and are illuminated from within thehousinglS'by one or more lamps 17 mounted on brackets 18, asfragmentarily shown in FIG. 3.

The face panels I0 are arranged in their frames in such manner as toprovide liberal marginal tolerances, as indicated in FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and8, to allow for expansion under high temperature conditions, and arelatively thin'and narrow plastic strip 19 is cemented or molded abouttheir marginal edges on their exterior surfaces, as best shown in FIGS.4 and 7, and engage the internal ribs or flanges 12 when the panels 10are shifted laterally within the frames, or flexed by wind pressurescapable of dislodging them without the restraint provided by theelements 12 and 19.

The alternative retention device, illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 9,comprises a metal clip 20, shown in detail in FIG. 9, adapted to befitted over the outer surface of the frame members ll, having a lip 21extending at an obtuse angle along one of its edges to overreach andengage the inner edge 13 of the outer walls 14 of the members 11, asshown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and having a right-angular tensile flange 22formed along an opposite edge, opposing the lip 21, which engages theouter edges ofthe frame members 11.

A plurality of the clips 20 can be spaced about the assembled frame, inthe manner shown in FIG. 6, to insure adequate retention of the panels10 which are restrained against displacement from their frames by theengagement of the strip 19 with the lips 21 of the clips 20. To expeditethe removal of the clips 20 each is formed with brief extended portionsor ears 23 beneath which a tool, such as a screwdriver, can be insertedto withdraw the tensile flange 22 from the frame members.

The invention, as shown and described, is capable of certain changes andmodifications by persons skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and intent thereof.

What I claim is:

I. A retainer device for plastic face panels for illuminated signshaving a housing and a frame in said housing defining a channel toreceive the marginal edges of said panels and providing a mountingtherefor, the improvements comprising: an integral rib formedlongitudinally of one wall surface internally of said channel, the saidpanels having a marginal abutment facing said rib in said channel andengageable therewith in any lateral movement of said panels under stressof wind pressures thereon.

2. A retainer device for plastic face panels for illuminated signs, asdescribed in claim 1, wherein the said marginal abutment on said panelscomprises a plastic strip cemented to the surface thereof adjacent tosaid integral rib in said channel.

3. A retainer device as described in claim I, wherein the integral ribin said channel is spaced from the inner periphery of said frame.

4. A retainer device for plastic face panels for illuminated signshaving a housing and a frame in said housing defining a channel toreceive the marginal edges of said panels, and providing a mountingtherefor, in combination, an abutment strip on each of said panels alongand adjacent to the marginal edges thereof and enclosed within saidchannel when said panels are arranged in said frame, a clip detachablysecurable to said frame at spaced intervals therearound having meansformed therewith engageable with said abutment strip when

1. A retainer device for plastic face panels for illuminated signshaving a housing and a frame in said housing defining a channel toreceive the marginal edges of said panels and providinG a mountingtherefor, the improvements comprising: an integral rib formedlongitudinally of one wall surface internally of said channel, the saidpanels having a marginal abutment facing said rib in said channel andengageable therewith in any lateral movement of said panels under stressof wind pressures thereon.
 2. A retainer device for plastic face panelsfor illuminated signs, as described in claim 1, wherein the saidmarginal abutment on said panels comprises a plastic strip cemented tothe surface thereof adjacent to said integral rib in said channel.
 3. Aretainer device as described in claim 1, wherein the integral rib insaid channel is spaced from the inner periphery of said frame.
 4. Aretainer device for plastic face panels for illuminated signs having ahousing and a frame in said housing defining a channel to receive themarginal edges of said panels, and providing a mounting therefor, incombination, an abutment strip on each of said panels along and adjacentto the marginal edges thereof and enclosed within said channel when saidpanels are arranged in said frame, a clip detachably securable to saidframe at spaced intervals therearound having means formed therewithengageable with said abutment strip when said panels are moved laterallyin any direction in said frame, the said means comprising an angular lipformed along one edge of said clip for overreaching the inner peripheraledge of said frame and into said channel, and a tensile right-angularflange formed on said clip opposite said lip for engagement with theouter peripheral edge of said frame.